Good Enough to Share (Good Enough, Book 1 - Christmas) (5 page)

“That might not be
a good thing to do, Holly.” His voice had that rough edge to it that I loved, a
sandpaper sound that set my nerves on edge. I let my tongue circle the tip of
his digit and kept on looking right into those deep grey eyes and his throat
rippled as he swallowed. His other hand came up, cradled my neck, his thumb
tracing up from the base all the way up to my chin and the hairs at the back of
my neck prickled to full-on alert.

“Strange thing for
a half-naked man to say.”

He laughed and
pulled away, leaving a cold gap where he’d been. “There’s a difference between
half-naked and what I’d like to do to you on this breakfast bar right now.”

“But you’re not
going to?”

“Not right now,
no.” The no was frustrating, the not right now even more so. Because maybe it
meant later. Oh, God I wanted to ask him if last night counted as a date,
seeing as he was a one date man. But I didn’t.

He took a long
gulp of his coffee, and a bite that took in nearly half of his bacon sandwich.

“You have got such
a big mouth.”

He chewed slowly
and raised an eyebrow which told me it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. “You
have such a kissable mouth.” He wiped his own with the back of his hand and I
resisted the urge to reach out and trail my finger tips over his stubble. “But
I suppose I should go and shoe horses.”

I’d forgotten
Christmas hadn’t started for everyone. Working for Grove and Grove had certain
benefits, and one of them was a Christmas shut down. One whole week away from
the temperamental computers and their even more fractious operators. For Dane
it was a different story, horses had an annoying habit of throwing shoes just
when you wanted to hack out and the Christmas holidays was a popular time to
saddle up and escape the relatives for a few hours.

“You got a full diary?”

“Busy today but
I’m closing off at lunchtime tomorrow, Christmas Eve is having a pint and feet
up time, for me not the horses.” He stretched up lazily and I watched
transfixed as his shoulder muscles flexed.

“Going anywhere
for Christmas?” It suddenly dawned on me that after spending hours chatting to
him on the yard I still knew absolutely zilch about him on a personal level,
apart from the mention of long tall Sal from Sophie yesterday. And the fact
that he lived at his forge.

“I think he should
come here.” I literally jumped at the words in my ear, which shows just how
much I’d been concentrating on ogling the body in front of me. “Ah, go on,
don’t give me that look.” She marched over and wrapped her arms round his waist
gazing up like a lost puppy.

“And don’t you
give me that look lady.”

“You know you want
to, and Holly would love to have you I’m sure.” She squeezed his bicep
affectionately and he grinned, tousling her hair. “And Charlie won’t mind.”

“Charlie won’t
mind what?” Shit, I jumped for the second time. What was it with these people
creeping up on me? I’d never heard the front door open, but I guess Charlie
must have just arrived back from his night on the tiles. I swiveled round on my
stool and he was there, all dirty blond locks, slightly crumpled T-shirt and
raised eyebrows.

“Charlie.” Dane
nodded and dropped the frying pan he was holding into the sink.

“Dane.” Charlie
nodded back. I know strong, silent types are supposed to be popular but this
was a bit minimalist even for me. “Looks like I missed the party.” A twinge of
guilt unexpectedly shot through me, it was Charlie’s house and here we were
having a cosy breakfast-a-trois, with number three just dressed in an apron. I
suspected it was pushing even good natured Charlie close to the edge.

“Not a party, just
a…” Ever start a sentence and wish you hadn’t?

Luckily Charlie
ignored me. “What won’t I mind?”

Sophie was
completely unfazed, one day I’d find something to rattle her. But not today. “I
was asking Dane if he wanted to stay over for Christmas lunch, I know Holly
won’t mind and—” she switched her bear hug effortlessly to Charlie “—I didn’t
think you would.”

“Sophie, you’re
the only person I know who could invite someone to a dinner they aren’t even
attending.”

She laughed. “Oh
yeah, forgot that bit.”

“Whatever, don’t
mind me. The more the merrier.” His gaze never left Dane, even with Sophie
attached to him and for a moment I wanted to hug him. Tell him to stop the
conflicting thoughts whizzing round his brain. We were just friends, nothing
had happened and…. But something just felt a bit wrong.

“You’re not here,
Sophie?” It was Dane’s turn to look bemused.

“At my sister’s
for dinner, but I’ll be around tomorrow night, and probably straight after
Christmas pudding.” She rolled her eyes. “If we end up having the usual post-dinner
squabbles. You will come?” She’d managed to wrap her other arm round him
without letting go of Charlie and I suddenly wanted to laugh. Only Sophie could
do that. And only Charlie could forgive her and carry on smiling.

“I’ll text you.”
He disentangled himself and gave her a quick swat on the bum as he headed to
the bathroom, grabbing his clothes off the sofa on the way. Seconds later he
was out, the unshaven, rugged-as-hell farrier I loved to ogle so much, complete
with unlaced work boots, jeans, T-shirt and rough work shirt. Sophie had opened
her mouth to say something, mine was just open even though I had no intention
to say a word, and he waggled a finger at her. “Later.”

“I think I might
need to buy a horse.” Her wistful words echoed in the room as he slammed the front
door.

Charlie gave a bit
of a hurumph. “You could try leaving the poor guy in peace.”

“He doesn’t want
peace.” She got a raised eyebrow in response.

“I’m off for a shower and I’m hoping you’ll be gone by the time I
come out.” He kissed her on the cheek to soften the words.

Sophie sat down on
the stool Dane had vacated. “He doesn’t mind, honest.”

“So how come
you’ve invited Dane?” Part of me wanted to object to the fact that she’d just
thrown a kibosh on my peaceful Christmas, the part that liked to make a plan
and stick to it, but the other part of me wanted to see him again. And that was
the newly awoken randy part. But I still didn’t quite understand how this was
going to work, or what Sophie had simmering around in her head, or why Dane
didn’t have something better to do.

“I didn’t think
you’d mind.” She plucked at the crumbs he’d left on his plate. “His uncle died
a few years back which is how he got the forge, it’s been in the family for
years. And—” she got up abruptly and went over to pour herself a coffee, “—he
fell out with his brother and folks after the Sally thing. He won’t tell me
exactly why.” She shrugged but I could tell from the look in her eye that it
bothered her. “But he avoids going over there now and he used to be so good
with Dave’s kids.”

“Dave’s?”

“His nephews.”

“Do you know
everything about everyone in this town?”

“Not everything.”
She grinned. “But I’m working on it.”

I don’t think
Sophie is actually nosy, in the normal sense. She just has this incredible fast
mind that’s constantly searching out new things, and when there’s nothing else
to occupy it I think she people watches, and she is genuinely interested. It’s
not a kind of voyeuristic prying thing, more an observation, which is probably
why people like her and she collects them the way she does. “I thought maybe it
would be fun.” She had that look in her eye now that spelled mischief. “The
three of you?”

Which stopped me
in my tracks for a moment, what did she mean, by that? “Oh you did, did you?
And do I get a say?”

“Of course you do,
my prickly little Holly.” She jumped up, came round and squeezed my shoulders.
“But you do fancy it, don’t you?” If she’d said ‘him’ not ‘it’ I wouldn’t have
been able to answer anything but yes.

“But what about
Charlie?”

She shrugged her
shoulders. “Charlie doesn’t mind, he never minds.” I wasn’t so sure. “He’s
happy to share with anyone.”

“Is he?” My voice
went up to a squeak. I swallowed, tried again. “Is he?” After all we weren’t
talking about
sharing
were we? Or were we?

“You want me to
text Dane and say there’s a change of plan?” She met my gaze full on and those
brown eyes were as clear and caring as ever. The problem was Sophie always
wanted to please, and that meant please everyone if she could.

“No.” It came out
quick, loud. “That wouldn’t be fair now you’ve asked him.” But we both knew
that wasn’t exactly what I was thinking. It would be fun. I think. “But it just
doesn’t seem fair on Charlie.”

“The more the
merrier as far as Charlie’s concerned.” Which made me think of things I really
shouldn’t.

“Anyway he might
say no.”

“He might.” She
winked, just as her mobile buzzed off, the vibration on the work surface
echoing noisily. “Ah, or he might not. We need to go turkey shopping girl.”
Then my phone buzzed, much more discreetly of course. “What did he say?”

“Sophie!” I hadn’t
even read it and she was peering over my shoulder. ‘We’ll sort the skating x’

“What does that
mean?” Her soft cheek was brushing against mine. “That’s not a horsey term is
it?”

“Nope. It means
we’re going to pin you down and interrogate you until we know what you’re up
to.”

She giggled and
the wisps of her hair trembled against my face. “Sounds like fun.”

It wasn’t a tingle
or a flutter or anything weak and more-ish like that. It was more of a thump,
deep down in the pit of my stomach that left me gawping like a stranded fish
and just about as useless.

I was at the
stable yard for two reasons, one my horse had spent so long in the field she’s
probably forgotten what a saddle is for –and I knew I’d suffer for that— and
two, I wanted some thinking space before all the Christmas hoo-ha hit.

After weeks of
lusting after Dane like some forlorn puppy I’d done something about it. Or
rather he had, or more specifically Sophie had. And I couldn’t blame the wine,
or the stupid Santa’s little helper indecent green costume, or even seductive
Sophie. I’d wanted him and I had decided that however not in my new life plan
it was, I was going to do something about it. And it had been good, good enough
to want to do it again. But it had also been weird, having Sophie there and
doing it at Charlie’s place and well, not actually doing it if you know what I
mean. And I didn’t know whether a quick fondle of my pussy was all Dane wanted,
or whether it had been because Sophie had been there that he was turned on and
I was a useful addition to the party, and whether him turning up at Christmas
was good or bad. I mean, I wanted him; I wanted him so badly that my thighs
turned wanton just at the thought of his name—all grasping and needy. But much
as his gorgeous eyes went black in a way that I knew meant he wanted me, was me
on my own enough, or not? Sharing was something I was used to but in a way I
wanted to be good enough on my own. But seeing as I didn’t actually want a man,
as in a permanent fixture kind of man, surely sharing was good enough. Better.
Shared everything, including expectations.

Thing is, the
first thing I spotted when I pulled up in the yard was his 4X4 which rather
scuppered the alone and thinking bit. For a moment I just stared, one foot on
terra firma, the other still in my car. My heart pounding louder than the sight
a hunk of black metal should justify. But his car being there, meant he was
here.

Doing a runner was
an option I considered for just about a nanosecond. But I was just about done
with being the one to back down. I’d decided what I wanted to do today so why
the hell should I change my plans? I mean, I could ignore him, or just say hi,
he wouldn’t exactly be expecting me to suck him off in a stable the moment he
saw me.

I turned the
corner of the stable block and reached the square that the first lot of stables
fronted on to and he was there. All cowboy. He was stood at the side of a
horse, his broad strong forearms resting on its back, his dark hair slightly
slicked back as though he had just run his fingers through it, but now he had
them on his diary, sorting out a next appointment.

He had the perfect
bum for jeans, neat and toned but with just enough shape to make you want to
see more, and his muscled thighs were hugged by the worn denim so that you just
knew when he stripped off he’d be a million miles from stringy wimp. He was
laughing as he turned and his gaze met me full on. Stormy eyes that even at
that distance seemed to reach that secret bit inside of me, quirky lips that I
knew could be oh so clever when he wanted them to be.

Shit, why was it
that just when you were sure of what you wanted your body played hooky from
your brain? The thud in my stomach spread into a kind of hungry emptiness and I
knew I was probably looking at him like he was prime steak.

I cleared my
throat, but clearing my mind of its horniness was a more difficult task. “Hey.”
He half nodded and watched silently as I walked up to them and I could swear
there was a hint of a laugh in his features.